Sunday, May 27, 2012

Spring in Edmond

Spring in Edmond, OK is good for . . .
...enjoying flowers.  Our neighbors brought them when they came to dinner.
...splashing in the mud.  That bare spot in the back yard is getting more use than the lawn!
 ...swinging with a friend.  Owen (left) is wearing Miles' red shirt because his own clothes were casualties of the garden hose.
 ...growing up!  And watching mom eat dinner outside.
...picking wild blackberries in the forest behind our house.  Watch out for ticks!
 ...eating blackberries.  And making jam with the rest.  Yum.
 ...hanging out with mom while she cooks.
 ...finding a clever (and free) way to display Miles' artwork.  This involved a trip to a bamboo patch and a thorough study of clove hitches and lashings in Essential Knot Tying for the Outdoors.
...camping with dad.  These two planned to attend the Fathers and Sons campout, but the location was 2 1/2 hours away.  Instead, Alvin and Miles drove 5 minutes to Arcadia Lake, set up the tent, built a fire, threw rocks in the lake, and gave me and Clay the night and morning off.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Tree Swing

Swinging on a regular swing set is fun, but something magical happens when you hang some ropes and a wooden seat from a tree.  The high branches afford a greater pendulum, the leaves shade and shelter, the flat seat doesn't squish your hips, and the tree limb gently bounces under your weight.
If you want to make your own, try these sources for information: here and here.